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Need tires: Thoughts on Kumho Ecsta ASX?

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baco99

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Jun 15, 2000
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Boston, MA, USA
Currently running a set of 3yr old Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. Great tires in wet, dry, and snow. They have gotten VERY noisy in the last 6-8 months, however. And one rear tire has a sidewall bubble... These are supposed to be best in class according to TireRack, but they are expensive.

Anyone try the Kumho Ecsta ASX All-Seasons? They rank somewhere middle of the pack, but are on Closeout for 1/2 the price of the Mich's. Another Option would be the ContiExtremeContact All-Season...

Any insights would be helpful.
 
Have had them for 40,000 miles, and love them. No unusual road noise, and nice stiff sidewalls even in 15". I don't think I'd ever buy anything else again. Highly recommended in my book. They seem to like higher pressures, like 40-42 psi.
 
mcgarvey said:
Have had them for 40,000 miles, and love them. No unusual road noise, and nice stiff sidewalls even in 15". I don't think I'd ever buy anything else again. Highly recommended in my book. They seem to like higher pressures, like 40-42 psi.
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you talking Kumhos? how are they in the snow?
 
baco99 said:
Currently running a set of 3yr old Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. Great tires in wet, dry, and snow. They have gotten VERY noisy in the last 6-8 months, however. And one rear tire has a sidewall bubble... These are supposed to be best in class according to TireRack, but they are expensive.

Anyone try the Kumho Ecsta ASX All-Seasons? They rank somewhere middle of the pack, but are on Closeout for 1/2 the price of the Mich's. Another Option would be the ContiExtremeContact All-Season...

Any insights would be helpful.
Click to expand...

I've ran them on my Mazda3 for years, and ran them on my 6 on occassion as well (usually ran the SPT version on my 6). I believe both started with Pilot Sport A/S on them, so I can compare with what you've got as well.

The Ecstas were quite a bit quieter, lasted longer, weren't prone to sidewall bubbles (I had 4 separate Pilots get bubbles), and performed better in the ice.

Snow-performance on my Mazda3 which has a 45 aspect tire is pretty good, but the 35s AST I had on my Mazda6 were absolutely useless in the snow and noticeably hard below 40* and rock solid below 20*. I wouldn't even consider the ASTs if I were you, go with the ASXs or SPTs, the AST that is supposed to straddle them is lacking as a performance tire and useless as an all-season.
 
sigma said:
I've ran them on my Mazda3 for years, and ran them on my 6 on occassion as well (usually ran the SPT version on my 6). I believe both started with Pilot Sport A/S on them, so I can compare with what you've got as well.

The Ecstas were quite a bit quieter, lasted longer, weren't prone to sidewall bubbles (I had 4 separate Pilots get bubbles), and performed better in the ice.

Snow-performance on my Mazda3 which has a 45 aspect tire is pretty good, but the 35s AST I had on my Mazda6 were absolutely useless in the snow and noticeably hard below 40* and rock solid below 20*. I wouldn't even consider the ASTs if I were you, go with the ASXs or SPTs, the AST that is supposed to straddle them is lacking as a performance tire and useless as an all-season.
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thanks sigma

i'm running stock size: 205/55/16 on the Saab. plenty of give in the slush. i think i'll give these ASX's a shot. For $65 each they are a steal.
 
i made the sidewalls of some kuhmo ecsta's tear to pieces launching my car on 12psi air pressure, with a 100 shot of nitrous. too cheap for high HP applications, but otherwise, good luck :D
 
I had two sets of Kumho Ecasta on my Nissan Maxima (17"). They were heavenly during the summer and during initial use, but over time developed a few problems.
1) The previous owner used them as summer tires, and warned me against using them in snow. After experience, I totally agree - They are not great in the snow, and pitiful on ice. Definitely would not recommend them for winter travel. I couldn't get up my own driveway with these tires (the incline in question is not *that* steep).
2) Tended to develop sidewall bubbles, causing a shudder at highway speeds and eventual tire failure. I replaced the tires before they failed. The bubbles have occurred at least twice for me.

Overall - they were wonderful tires, in the short term. Very responsive, good handling, and extremely quiet. Unfortunately, problems arose that would keep me from recommending them for long-term use.
 
TRicker said:
i made the sidewalls of some kuhmo ecsta's tear to pieces launching my car on 12psi air pressure, with a 100 shot of nitrous. too cheap for high HP applications, but otherwise, good luck :D
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LOL! I'm running a whopping 200 crank HP in a wagon. no need to worry here.
 
rouar said:
I had two sets of Kumho Ecasta on my Nissan Maxima (17"). They were great during the summer and during initial use, but over time developed a few problems.
1) The previous owner used them as summer tires, and warned me against using them in snow. After experience, I totally agree - They are not great in the snow, and pitiful on ice. Definitely would not recommend them for winter travel. I couldn't get up my own driveway with these tires (the incline in question is not *that* steep).
2) Tended to develop sidewall bubbles, causing a shudder at highway speeds and eventual tire failure. I replaced the tires before they failed. The bubbles have occurred at least twice for me.

Overall - they were wonderful tires, in the short term. Very responsive, good handling, and extremely quiet. Unfortunately, problems arose that would keep me from recommending them for long-term use.
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i guess it depends on what line you were running? were these the ASX's?
 
Kumho has changed their tire names so often it's not even funny, and their tread patterns and chemistry even more than that. There's, literally, at least 12 different types of "Kumho Ecstas" out there, and they vary WIDELY in performance, whether it be Performance or All-Season. So it's difficult to compare when people say that their "Ecsta's sucked in snow" -- as I said, my ASTs were pretty horrible (I think my SPTs actually were better on the ice), but the ASX's were good. Not great, but good.

Frankly they'd be a hell of a lot better off coming up with different tire names than calling every tire they make "Ecsta" and just changing the last letters.
 
baco99 said:
i guess it depends on what line you were running? were these the ASX's?
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I cannot confirm , but I am pretty sure it was the ASX. They were definitely classified as "all-season" as I remember, and I believe the ASX is the only all-season Ecasta series.
 
I had the Contiextremes when I lived in Colorado, I thought they were a great all around tire. OK in the snow (obviously not the same as real snow tires), great in the rain, and pretty good when dry even when pushed. Solid all around performer IMO. Last time I bought them they were cheap too.
 
rouar said:
I cannot confirm , but I am pretty sure it was the ASX. They were definitely classified as "all-season" as I remember, and I believe the ASX is the only all-season Ecasta series.
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They also make an AST -- a performance all-season. Which sucks hard at both.
 
I personally would get the Fusion HRi, same price and way better winter traction if you are looking at an all season.
 
sigma said:
They also make an AST -- a performance all-season. Which sucks hard at both.
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Thanks for the info -
I delved into all of my old documentation, and found an email from Tirerack stating I purchased the Kumho Ecsta ASX (size 225/50ZR-17) for that car.
 
AliasJerk said:
I personally would get the Fusion HRi, same price and way better winter traction if you are looking at an all season.
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You are crazy. I had 0 problems with the ASX in the winter...the HRi's on the other hand couldn't grab worth ????.
 
I've used Kumho ECSTA ASX 215/50/R16's on my SVT for almost three years and around 10k miles and have been very happy and pleasantly surprised. My 95LX had BFG's and I didn't miss them.

I've never used the Kumho tires or the SVT during the winter and probably wouldn't use any low profile tire for the winters we have in Ottawa. My BFG all seasons were predictably terrible in snow and ice.
 
the Fusions don't have the proper weigh rating for the wagon.

i think i'll give these Ecstas a try. for the price, they seem like a good option.
 
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